The rumor spreads
The Wal-Mart variant was still hot off the presses when yet another version appeared with yet another new incident tacked on, this one having allegedly occurred in a Target store parking lot in Plano, Texas. In this rendering, disaster is once again averted when the would-be victim rebuffs the salesman's advances before he even tells her what he's selling. Still, the rumor has become more frightening because the "evidence" is piling up that similar crimes are being perpetrated all over the United States.
'A maroon car pulled up to me'
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 1999 10:12 AM
Subject: Please ready immediately!Please forward this on to other women, and men to pass along to girlfriends or wives. I tried to include all sstsc women, and also sent to men on my team.
Subject: BEWARE, LADIES!
Dave Mc Sr.
IF YOU ARE A MAN RECEIVING THIS PLEASE PASS IT TO YOUR WIFE, MOM,FRIENDS.
I was approached last night at the Target store in Plano! The guy said he was Russian and he was selling something but I said no thank you before he really started.
Marilyn,
This is quite strange to hear this story because last month I was approached in the Wal-Mart (on Beckly) parking lot by two young men who were selling designer perfume. They stated that it was the excess of a cosmetic show and it was $8. I noticed one young mans distinct accent. I asked him if he was from Kentucky.(Message continues as in previous version...)
January 2000 heralded a complete rewrite of the urban legend. The "close call" scenario, wherein our would-be victim always manages to elude the ether-wielding bad guys, is now obligatory, along with references to an earlier email describing the crime and urging women to beware. In this example, that very email is credited with preventing another robbery from taking place:
Ladies - take heed!
Hey you guys!! Pass this to all you know. This really happened to a woman on Wednesday the 24th of November.I WAS SENT AN E-MAIL AT WORK ABOUT SOMEONE WALKING UP TO YOU AT MALLS IN OR PARKING LOTS AND ASKING YOU TO SNIFF PERFUME THEY ARE SELLING AT A CHEAP PRICE. THIS ISN'T REALLY PERFUME BUT ETHER, AND YOU WILL PASS OUT AND THEY TAKE YOUR WALLET AND ALL YOUR VALUABLES. THIS IS NOT A PRANK E-MAIL, THIS IS TRUE BECAUSE I WAS STOPPED IN GOVERNORS SQUARE PARKING LOT TODAY. A MAROON CAR PULLED UP TO ME WITH TWO FEMALES. THE FEMALE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOW AND ASKED ME IF I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN "SNIFFING" SOME PERFUME THEY WERE SELLING. I REMEMBERED THE E-MAIL I JUST RECEIVED YESTERDAY, AND SAID NO. SHE ASKED ME A SECOND TIME, I KEPT ON WALKING SAID NO ONCE AGAIN AND THEY PULLED OFF. IF I WASN'T WARNED I MAY HAVE DONE IT.
PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND TELL THEM TO BEWARE. THIS IS TRUE!! IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE E-MAIL I GOT YESTERDAY, I COULD VERY WELL MAY HAVE BEEN A VICTIM. (AIN'T GOD GOOD?) REMEMBER TO PASS THIS ON!!!!! Be safe!
